EDITORIAL: Cloverleaf to greatly improve traffic flow

It has taken years and years of driving stop and start on traffic-light heavy Lloyd Expressway and U.S. 41, but it appears now that finally city travel is going to become significantly smoother. Mayor Lloyd Winnecke announced Monday that a full cloverleaf intersection will be constructed at the busy intersection without traffic lights. Bids will be let in August with completion expected in 2014.

Earlier, in 2011, a partial cloverleaf that would have added traffic lights on U.S. 41 was planned for the intersection, but then-Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel let be known that was not acceptable for a city known as "Stoplight City."

But now, Winnecke says a hurdle for a full cloverleaf involving storm sewers has been have been addressed, and the $29 million project can proceed.

Rusty Fowler, deputy commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation for the Vincennes District, said the project "will provide the free flow of traffic on Lloyd Expressway, which was one of our goals and add no additional signals on 41, which was obviously one of the mayor's goals and the desire of locals. We have worked closely with the mayor to meet needs of the city's system and the city's desire."

Evansville won't lose the "Stoplight City" label, as numerous traffic lights will remain on the Lloyd and U.S. 41, but when combined with the new interchange at Lloyd and Fulton Avenue, the planned interchange will bring better crosstown traffic flow than at anytime in history.